Collecting bag system comprising such a bag and an bag extension for such a system

ABSTRACT

A collecting bag system for human body wastes comprises a collecting bag with a bag element formed by two predominantly oblong plastic film blanks with joined edges and with an inlet opening surrounded by connecting elements for connection to a body orifice, particularly a stoma, and a closeable outlet opening in an end section of one plastic film blank. The outlet opening is surrounded by a coupling ring with an outwardly facing engagement flange, and the system further comprises a bag extension with a coupling ring with a corresponding inward-facing engagement element for dismountable, sealing coupling to the coupling ring of the outlet opening. On the inside of the coupling ring of the outlet opening a closing membrane is placed with an annular coupling element for a sealing, but releasable coupling with an inward-facing engagement element on the coupling ring of the outlet coupling.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a collecting bag for human body wastescomprising a collecting bag in the shape of a bag member formed by twolargely oblong plastic film blanks with joined edges and with an inletopening surrounded by connecting elements for connection to a bodyorifice, particularly a stoma, and a closeable outlet opening placed ata distance from the inlet opening.

From GB patent publication No. 1447314 a stoma bag is known, which isintended especially for newly operated patients confined to bed, andwhich is designed with an outlet opening which through a connectingtube, can be connected to a collecting tank. The coupling between thebag outlet opening and the tube end connected to this opening is forthis purpose designed as a rather simple rib or snap fasteninginterlock, with neither adequate protection against contamination norsatisfactory sealing against the emission of odour.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide both a new outletcoupling design and an entirely new concept for coupling with acollecting bag of said type with a bag extension, which can be designedas a coupling tube, but which can also have other designs, and where thecollecting bag can also be used on its own without coupling with the bagextension and with a fully adequate sealing against contamination andemission of odour.

For achieving this according to a first aspect of the convention, acollecting bag of said type is characterized in that the outlet openingis made in an end section of one plastic film blank and surrounded by afirst coupling ring with an outward-facing engagement flange providing aremovable sealing coupling with a second coupling ring with acorresponding inward-facing engagement part, and that on the inside ofthe first coupling ring a closing membrane is placed with an annularcoupling element for a sealing, but releasable coupling with aninward-facing engagement element on the first coupling ring, whichclosing membrane with coupling element is firmly connected to the otherplastic film blank, on the outside of which plastic film blank oppositethe coupling element a catcher flap is mounted for release of thecoupling between the coupling specimen of the closing membrane and thefirst coupling ring.

The placing of the outlet opening in the bag and the design of thesurrounding first coupling ring provide a safe operation in connectionwith emptying the bag through the outlet opening, as the passage throughthe outlet opening for the bag contents is opened entirely by release ofthe closing membrane. As the second coupling ring can be mounted on theoutside of the same plastic film blank of the bag as the first couplingring, the bag end section can be folded up during use and secured bycoupling the first and second sealing rings.

According to another aspect of the invention, a collecting bag systemcomprising a collecting bag of said type can also include a bagextension, in which the second coupling ring is mounted. After thedecoupling of such bag extension, the coupling of the closing membranewith the coupling ring is relatively easy to reestablish after thecontents, eg, faeces and air, of the end section of the collecting baghave been pressed into the extension. Coupling and change of a bagextension can thus in all essentials take place without contaminationand odour nuisances.

The collecting bag system according to the invention is particularlywell suited for newly operated patients confined to bed, for use innursing homes and for ileostomy patients with uncontrolled release offaeces of a relatively fluid consistency.

To facilitate the use of the collecting bag without the bag extension,it is possible when using the collecting bag in such a system, accordingto a suitable embodiment of the invention, to attach an exteriorcoupling ring to said first plastic film blank above said end sectionfor securing the first coupling ring with the end section folded up.

The collecting bag system according to the invention may comprisedifferent forms of bag extensions.

In the same way as for the stoma bag according to the above GB patentpublication, a bag extension can thus be designed as a tube of plasticfilm with said coupling ring mounted in one end. The other tube end canin a suitable way, and preferably by means of coupled coupling rings, beconnected to an inlet opening of a collecting bag or tank with largercapacity.

The bag extension itself can also be designed as a collecting bag withlarger capacity, a so-called bedside bag, with said coupling ringdirectly connectable to the coupling ring around the outlet opening ofthe collecting bag carried by the patient.

As alternative possibilities, the bag extension can be designed as acollecting bag for attachment to the patient's leg or like a disposabledischarge bag of a water-soluble film material which can be flushed downthe toilet and which is provided with a coupling ring of a biodegradablematerial.

The collecting bag and bag system according to the invention in itsentirety entails a considerable relief of the nursing work in hospitalsand nursing homes as well as during home care, since the work involvedin changing and possibly emptying conventional stoma bags is reducedconsiderably whereas the level of hygiene is improved through areduction of the incidence of contamination requiring a change of bedlinen.

In relation to the coupling principle used in the above-mentioned GBpatent publication, the invention moreover entails the advantage that,for the coupling, coupling rings are used of a design corresponding tothe one known already in connection with stoma bag coupling to thepatient's stoma orifice by means of conventional coupling plates. Thus,the use of the collecting bag and bag system according to the inventiondoes not require special and thorough instruction of patients or nursingstaff.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following the invention will be explained in further detail withreference to the schematic drawing, in which

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a plane view and a sectional view of a stoma bag asan embodiment of a collecting bag according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the design of cooperatingengagement elements for coupling a coupling ring round the bag outletopening with another coupling ring on a bag extension;

FIG. 4 is a bag extension designed as a coupling tube; and

FIG. 5 is an extension device designed as a collecting bag with largercapacity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As one example of an embodiment of a collecting bag according to thesystem of the invention, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a stoma bag of a design,conventional per se, with a bag member formed by two largely oblongplastic film blanks 1 and 2 with joined edges, of which one plastic filmblank 1, constituting the back wall of the bag facing the user isdesigned with an inlet opening 3 surrounded by an adhesive plate 4 knownper se for fastening the bag to the skin round a patient's stoma.

At the opposite end in relation to the inlet opening 3, the bag isdesigned with a narrowed end section, where in the second plastic filmblank 2 forming the front wall of the bag an outlet opening 5 is formed,which is surrounded by a coupling ring 6 for coupling a bag extensionwith the bag. For this purpose, as it appears most clearly from FIG. 3,the coupling ring 6 has an outward-facing engagement flange 7 and forcoupling with this flange the bag extension of the collecting bag systemcomprises an inlet opening 8 with a surrounding second coupling ring 9,which for a releasable sealing coupling to the coupling ring 6 of theoutlet opening 5 has a corresponding inward-facing engagement part,which in the embodiment shown is designed as an annular track 10 with across-sectional profile adapted to the shape of the cross-sectionalprofile of the outward-facing engagement flange 7 on the coupling ring6.

As the coupling rings 6 and 9 are designed with some elastic deformationcapacity, eg, as injection-moulded rings of polyethylene or similarmaterial, the track 10 for achieving an improved tightness is preferablysomewhat undersized in relation to the engagement flange 7 on thecoupling ring 6, ie, with its maximum diameter being smaller than thatof the engagement flange 7.

The coupling can be further stabilized by designing the track 10 and theengagement flange 7 with sloping contact sides, 11 and 12 respectively,for providing a convergent wedge profile.

To provide a reliable sealing of the two coupling rings 6 and 9, agroove 13 may be provided at the bottom of the track 10 for receiving atightening bead 14 situated at the outmost periphery of the engagementflange 7. The tightening bead is dimensioned with a slightly largerradius of curvature than the groove 13.

As an important feature of the invention, inside the coupling ring 6 ofthe bag outlet opening 5 a closing membrane 15 is placed, which isdesigned with an annular coupling element 16, providing a sealing, butreleasable coupling, with an inward-facing engagement element on thecoupling ring 6.

In the embodiment shown, the coupling element 16 of the closing membrane15 is designed with an outward-facing flange 17, and the correspondingengagement element on the coupling ring 6 of the outlet opening 5 isdesigned as a groove 18 for sealingly receiving the flange 17.

The closing membrane 15 with the coupling element 16 is permanentlyconnected, eg, by adhesion or welding, with the plastic film blank 1forming the back side of the bag. On the outside of this plastic filmblank a catcher flap 19 is mounted for release of the coupling betweenthe coupling element 16 and the groove 18 in the coupling ring 6 of theoutlet opening 5.

As described above, the closing membrane 15 means that a bag extensioncan be coupled to the bag forming a tight connection before passage isprovided through the outlet opening 5 to the bag extension.

To enable the use of the collecting bag without a bag extension, anexterior coupling ring 20 can be mounted to the bag front wall 2 abovethe end section with the outlet opening 5, the coupling ring 20 having across-sectional profile largely corresponding to that of the bagextension coupling ring 9, to facilitate coupling of the outlet openingcoupling ring 6 when the bag end section is folded up. The collectingbag according to the invention would then not feel larger or moreuncomfortable during use than conventional bags.

As mentioned, the bag extension of the collecting bag system accordingto the invention can have different designs. FIG. 4 shows an extensiondesigned as a tubular specimen 21 of plastic film with the coupling ring9 mounted in one end.

Such an extension can for instance be used as a discharge tube for thebag in order to reduce the risk of contamination and odour nuisances.Such discharge tube may be produced as a disposable product in awater-soluble material with the coupling ring 9 made of a biodegradablematerial, so that it is possible to flush the discharge tube down thetoilet after use.

A tubular specimen as shown in FIG. 4 can also be used for coupling thecollecting bag with a collecting bag or tank with larger capacity. Forthis purpose, the tube 21 may in its opposite end be provided with acoupling ring 22 for coupling with a corresponding coupling ring on thelarger collecting bag or tank (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 5, the bag extension can be designed as a collectingbag 23 with an inlet 24 of varying length to which the coupling ring 9is attached. Such a bag is well suited as a bedside bag for newlyoperated patients confined to bed or for patients requiring nursing, butit can also be designed for attachment to the patient's leg to reducethe need for frequent emptying of the bag.

The examples of bag extensions shown and described should not beregarded as delimiting for the invention, as any type of bag extensionwhatsoever can be used with a coupling ring for coupling with thecoupling ring around the bag outlet opening.

Although the invention is shown and described with reference to stomabags, the collecting bag and the bag system are not limited to thisapplication, but can, subject to a suitable adaption of the couplingring design, also be used in connection with urine bags and other formsof collecting bags for body wastes.

I claim:
 1. A collecting bag for human body wastes comprisinga bag member formed by two largely oblong plastic film blanks having joined edges and an inlet opening, connecting elements for connection of the bag to a body orifice, especially a stoma, surrounding said inlet opening, an outlet opening formed in an end section of one of said film blanks separated from said inlet opening, a first coupling ring having an inward-facing engagement element and an outward-facing engagement flange surrounding said outlet opening and providing a releasable, sealing coupling with a second coupling ring having an inward-facing engagement part to engage said engagement flange, means for closing said outlet opening comprising a closing membrane inside said first coupling ring and having an annular coupling element to provide a sealing, but releasable coupling with said inward-facing engagement element, said closing membrane with said annular coupling element being firmly connected with the other of said film blanks, a catcher flap being mounted on the outside of said other film blank opposite said coupling element for releasing the coupling between said annular coupling element and said first coupling ring.
 2. A collecting bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second coupling ring is mounted on the bag itself on the outside of said one film blank opposite said end section for connection of said first coupling ring with said end section by folding of the latter during use of the collecting bag.
 3. A collecting bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein said annular coupling element has an outward-facing flange and said inward-facing engagement element on said first coupling ring comprises a groove for sealingly receiving said flange.
 4. A collecting bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inward-facing engagement part on the second coupling ring comprises an annular track with a cross-sectional profile the shape of which is adapted to the cross-sectional profile of the outward-facing engagement flange on said first coupling ring.
 5. A collecting bag as claimed in claim 4, wherein a maximum diameter of said track is smaller than a maximum diameter of said engagement flange on the first coupling ring.
 6. A collecting bag as claimed in claim 4, wherein said track and said engagement flange are formed with sloping contact sides for providing an outwardly convergent wedge profile.
 7. A collecting bag as claimed in claim 4, wherein a groove is provided at the bottom of said track for receiving a tightening bead at the outer periphery of the engagement flange.
 8. A collecting bag system comprisinga collecting bag for human body wastes comprising a bag member formed by two largely oblong plastic film blanks having joined edges and an inlet opening, connecting elements for connection of the bag to a body orifice, especially a stoma, surrounding said inlet opening, an outlet opening formed in an end section of one of said film blanks separated from said inlet opening, a first coupling ring having an inward-facing engagement element and an outward-facing engagement flange surrounding said outlet opening and providing a releasable, sealing coupling with a second coupling ring having an inward-facing engagement part to engage said engagement flange, means for closing said outlet opening comprising a closing membrane inside said first coupling ring and having an annular coupling element to provide a sealing, but releasable coupling with said inward-facing engagement element, said closing membrane with said annular coupling element being firmly connected with the other of said film blanks, a catcher flap being mounted on the outside of said other film blank opposite said coupling element for releasing the coupling between said annular coupling element and said first coupling ring, the system further comprising a bag extension member, said second coupling ring being mounted in said extension member.
 9. A collecting bag system as claimed in claim 8, wherein an exterior coupling ring is mounted on said one film blank of the collecting bag above said end section, for engagement of said first coupling ring with said end section by folding of the latter during use of the collecting bag without said bag extension member.
 10. A bag extension member for a collecting bag system comprising a collecting bag for human body wastes comprising a bag member formed by two largely oblong plastic film blanks having joined edges and an inlet opening, connecting elements for connection of the bag to a body orifice, especially a stoma, surrounding said inlet opening, an outlet opening formed in an end section of one of said film blanks separated from said inlet opening, a first coupling ring having an inward-facing engagement element and an outward-facing engagement flange surrounding said outlet opening and providing a releasable, sealing coupling with a second coupling ring having an inward-facing engagement part to engage said engagement flange, means for closing said outlet opening comprising a closing membrane placed inside said first coupling ring and having an annular coupling element to provide a sealing, but releasable coupling with said inward-facing engagement element, said closing membrane with said annular coupling element being firmly connected with the other of said film blanks, a catcher flap being mounted on the outside of said other film blank opposite said coupling element for releasing the coupling between said annular coupling element and said first coupling ring, said extension member being formed as a tube specimen of plastic film, said second coupling ring being mounted in one end of said extension member.
 11. A bag extension member as claimed in claim 10, wherein said tube specimen has in its opposite end a coupling ring for connection to a first coupling ring surrounding said inlet opening for a bag or tank with a larger capacity than the bag connected to the body orifice.
 12. A bag extension member as claimed in claim 8, said extension member forming an additional collecting bag with said second coupling ring being directly attachable to said first coupling ring in the collecting bag connected to the body orifice and having a larger capacity than this bag.
 13. A bag extension member as claimed in claim 12, wherein said additional collecting bag is provided with means for attachment to the patient's leg.
 14. A bag extension member as claimed in claim 12, wherein said additional collecting bag is formed as a disposable discharge bag of a water-soluble film material and said second coupling ring being of a biodegradable material.
 15. A collecting bag as claimed in claim 5, wherein said track and said engagement flange are formed with sloping contact sides for providing an outwardly convergent wedge profile. 